This invention relates generally to a quick release device suitable for a broad range of applications and which may be especially advantageously employed as a releasable connector for coupling parachute risers to a body harness.
It has become conventional practice in military and sport parachuting to rig the main parachute assembly with a quick release mechanism so that the main canopy can be released in case of malfunction. In such instances, it is generally necessary that the main canopy be disconnected completely from the body harness before the reserve canopy is released, otherwise the two canopies may entangle, with potentially fatal results.
Several types of parachute release mechanisms have been developed, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 2,473,554 to Capewell, U.S. Pat. No. 3,934,848 to Snyder, and British Pat. No. 1,172,592 to Fitzgerald. In practice, the parachutist will need two such devices--one at each shoulder.
The Capewell release system basically includes a male fitting attached to the parachute riser with a heel and nose portion that fit respectively into a corresponding recess on a female fitting, beneath a sliding cover. The female fitting is in turn attached to the body harness. A latch assembly is operatively attached to the sliding cover so that when the latch assembly is dissengaged, the male fitting and riser and, resultingly, the main canopy, are released and discarded.
The Snyder release buckle device comprises a laterally inserted pin assembly which engages a series of coupling loops attached to the riser straps of the main parachute assembly. When the pin assembly is withdrawn from the loops, the main canopy is released. Finally, the Fitzgerald parachute harness employs a system of straps connected to the parachute risers, which are threaded through a series of buckles and then attached to the body harness. When released, the straps pass through the buckles, thus disconnecting the main canopy from the body harness.
The above release mechanisms suffer from numerous disadvantages. They tend to be cumbersome, heavy and bulky because of the structure deemed necessary for a reliable coupling capable of being promptly but not unintentionally uncoupled, and may become entangled in the various buckles or metal parts protruding from the parachutist's chest so that the reserve canopy does not function properly. In such cases where the main canopy is not properly released, the malfunction can result in severe injury or even death.
In addition, each of the above described mechanisms is a dual point release. That is, the parachutist must actuate the two release devices connecting the risers to the body harness independently and simultaneously to disconnect the main canopy safely. In an emergency situation, when the main canopy has failed, the need to perform simultaneous but independent actuations is a serious disadvantage.
Another type of release which has been used in sport parachuting is comprised of a series of three progressively smaller rings. To effect the release the smallest ring must pass through the middle-sized ring, which in turn must pass through the largest ring. This dual step "unthreading" must occur before the risers are completely disengaged from the body harness.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a quick release device which is reliable and which will disengage without fouling. It is a related object of the invention to provide a release device which is useful in parachuting and is unlikely to snag the pilot chute of the reserve canopy when the reserve canopy is deployed.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a single point release mechanism which will effect the simultaneous disengagement of the two release devices which connect the main canopy risers to the body harness.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a quick release device which is lightweight and devoid of heavy metallic elements which might otherwise injure a parachutist when the device is disengaged.
It is another object of the invention to provide a release device with a latching force which is small with respect to the tensile load so that the latching means may be simple and lightly constructed.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a release device which is thin so as not to protrude from a parachutists's chest and thus impair the deployment of the reserve canopy.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a release device which disengages the risers from the body harness without elements of either one passing through rings, links, loops or buckles of the other.